your thoughts, like stars (installation and the opening)

last week i installed your thoughts, like stars. it was somewhat stressful pulling everything together after my trip to holland (and my two previous exhibitions in september and october), but i managed to get to edmonton tuesday evening and began installing the exhibition on wednesday morning. i know i stressed out the installation team (again, my deepest apologies) but i also knew that my work would be fairly simple to both install and light. and it was. by wednesday afternoon, most of it was installed and ready to be lit.

here are some images of the work in situ:

the weight of things

(between)

recipes for kneeling (version two) - as installed and lit

***

the opening reception was great. it was wonderful to reconnect with so many people who i had worked with when i was the education curator with the gallery, both artists and co-workers/ volunteers. while there weren't hundreds of people, of those that did come, many stayed for twenty or thirty minutes (and some even longer!). to be honest, i would much rather have 60 people visit and stay and linger and engage with the work than have 200 come and spend 5 or 10 minutes, and that's what happened. there were many people who visited in the front, lit portion of the gallery, but there were also many who sat on the bench in the darkened back half of the gallery, meditating on the work.

there were several people who came up to me that evening to share the impact that the work was having on them. some spoke about how some of the pieces were challenging them on some quite specific [personal] issues and struggles. others shared how they were going through some tough times, and that the work was inspiring hope in them. how wonderful that my work should inspire hope. when was the last time art truly inspired hope in you?